Bulkheads for use on railcars, and more particularly flatcars, are generally known by those skilled in the art. Bulkheads are typically attached to railcars when transporting floating loads. Floating loads are generally not restrained in the longitudinal direction, relative to the railcar and rails, by a stop. According to top-loading rules relating to railcars set forth by the American Association of Railroads, a bulkhead is required when transporting a floating load. The bulkhead acts to maintain the floating load in a secured manner in case the load slides during impact of the railcar or shifting of the load in the longitudinal direction relative to the railcar during transport. Various types and sizes of loads are transported by railcar, but conventional bulkhead railcars have a bulkhead disposed at opposing distal ends of the railcar relative to the length of the railcar.
Bulkheads are typically attached to a railcar by securing a large member that extends upwardly from the railcar floor in a cantilevered manner. The bulkhead is typically attached to the railcar by nuts-and-bolts, welding, any combination thereof, or any other attachment mechanism known to those skilled in the art. Bulkheads are generally attached to railcars in a substantially fixed, or permanently-attached, manner. However, when transporting loads other than floating loads in which a bulkhead is not necessary, the bulkhead may burdensome to the loading and unloading of the railcar. Further, for loads of different lengths relative to the length of the railcar, a permanently-attached bulkhead does not provide for fore-aft support of the load unless the load slides a substantial distance, whereby the force of impact between the load and the bulkhead may increase due to the momentum that the load may accumulate. The presence of bulkheads on load configurations that do not require bulkheads unnaturally limits the loading capacity of the railcar. The weight of the unnecessary bulkhead displaces usable load for transport. Removal of the bulkhead from railcars is very labor-intensive, costly, and may require structural changes to the railcar itself.